A battle-worn but never weary, if
service, heroism and accomplishment are factored, Korean War Marine G-1 Flight
Jacket. Major Minick served where the action was the hottest during the Korean
War. The famed Black Sheep Squadron dates from WWII and was in the thick of it
again during the "police action," which was, in reality, as hot a war
as we've fought. Immortal Red Sox slugger
Ted Williams was recalled to Korea and also flew in VMF 214. VMA 251, VMF (AW)
114 and VMA 332 all flew close combat air support and night attack in Korea, in
Corsairs, Skyraiders and Panthers. Marine Air never enjoyed the more
glamorous and headline-sexy pursuit of dogfighting MIGS in Korea, unlike
WWII. Its was the harrowing and hazardous job of supporting Marines and Army on
the ground, including covering the nearly catastrophic retreat from the Chosin
Reservoir after the massive intervention of Red Chinese armies into Korea in the
Winter of 1950, saving the 1st Marine Division from certain annihilation with
continual low level napalm, rocket and machine gun attack on the surrounding
Chinese in the hills. With intense and accurate Communist ground fire at all
times, this was a thankless, dangerous job. All historical and eyewitness
accounts of the Chosin Reservoir withdrawal cite Marine and Navy air as
the difference-maker between survival and destruction. As a document of that
commitment, Maj. Minick's G-1 is unique.

We are indebted to Col. Bruce Martin, USMC (RET) for providing this
additional, tragic information on Major Minick --

"Major Minick was
my LSO (Landing Signal Officer) when I was a flight student at Barin Field
in 1957. I note that you have his flight jacket. He was killed in an F4D
aircraft aboard the USS FDR when an arresting cable parted and wrapped
around the nose strut of his aircraft pulling him over the side. He was
not able to exit the aircraft."